By Al McGuckin
If you were smoking chicken wings on the grill next to Kevin VanDam, you can bet he’d do everything in his power to make sure his tasted better than yours. But he’d also fetch you a cold beverage of your choice. Yup, the Team Toyota pro is an awesome blend of fierce competitor and humble class.
So when asked how much of his $6 Million career total he’s won on these three colors of Strike King’s Red Eye Shad – at first, with humility he hesitated to say – but then stated it was for sure a million bucks – and was gracious enough to share a first-hand look into his tackle box.
“Lipless crankbaits are fish catchers year-round, but late winter and really early spring, when water temps are 45 to 55 is the ideal time to throw them. And if I had to pick three colors I’ve had the most success on, it would be Delta Craw, Chartreuse Perch and Gold Sexy Shad,” says VanDam, bass fishing’s all-time leading money winner.
Bass U. Report
The Bass University, the leading source of educational materials for bass anglers, is launching a new series of live, online video training sessions using Zoom technology with top pro anglers.
Mike Iaconelli and Pete Gluszek crafted the Bass University teaching model which incorporates top professional anglers who educate students on seasonal patterns, techniques, lure modifications and more using state-of-the-art presentation technology. The Bass University’s comprehensive teaching model was developed through decades of hard-learned lessons competing on the sports biggest stages.
This year’s sessions begin on February 16, 19 and 20. March dates will be announced soon. Each event consists of six (6) classes per day.
By Dave Mull
This January I resolved to accomplish a couple of things in the New Year. Both of them involve a smallmouth bass that weighed more than 7 1/2 pounds, caught by my longtime pal Louie Stout while he fished with another old friend on an unnamed lake in the northern mitten of Michigan.